Illicit use of stablecoin is now at its highest level following the mainstream adoption of the asset class by multiple organizations. Last year, over $141 billion in illegal payments were facilitated through stablecoins, while a minority used other financial instruments. 

Sanctioned Networks Depend on Stablecoins

According to TRM Labs, sanction evasion tops the list of illicit stablecoin use over the years. About 86% of flows were attributed to this category in 2025. This is largely due to the nature of the assets and their balance, unlike other crypto assets such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH).

Data shows more transactions linked to A7A5 token, a ruble-pegged…